Undecane (also known as hendecane) is a liquid
alkane
In organic chemistry, an alkane, or paraffin (a historical trivial name that also has other meanings), is an acyclic saturated hydrocarbon. In other words, an alkane consists of hydrogen and carbon atoms arranged in a tree structure in whi ...
hydrocarbon
In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons are examples of group 14 hydrides. Hydrocarbons are generally colourless and hydrophobic, and their odors are usually weak or ...
with the
chemical formula CH
3(CH
2)
9CH
3. It is used as a mild sex attractant for various types of
moths and
cockroach
Cockroaches (or roaches) are a paraphyletic group of insects belonging to Blattodea, containing all members of the group except termites. About 30 cockroach species out of 4,600 are associated with human habitats. Some species are well-known as ...
es, and an alert signal for a variety of
ants.
[Hölldobler B, Wilson EO (1990). ''The Ants''. Harvard University Press. , p. 287] It has 159
isomer
In chemistry, isomers are molecules or polyatomic ions with identical molecular formulae – that is, same number of atoms of each element – but distinct arrangements of atoms in space. Isomerism is existence or possibility of isomers.
I ...
s.
Undecane may also be used as an internal standard in gas chromatography when working with other hydrocarbons. Since the boiling point of undecane (196 °C) is well known, it may be used as a comparison for retention times in a gas chromatograph for molecules whose structure has been freshly elucidated. For example, if one is working with a 50 m crosslinked methyl silicone capillary column with an oven temperature increasing slowly, beginning around 60 °C, an 11-carbon molecule like undecane may be used as an internal standard to be compared with the retention times of other 10-, 11-, or 12- carbon molecules, depending on their structures.
See also
*
Higher alkanes
Higher alkanes are alkanes having nine or more carbon atoms. Nonane is the lightest alkane to have a flash point above 25 °C, and is not classified as dangerously flammable.
The term ''higher alkanes'' is sometimes used literally as "alkan ...
*
List of isomers of undecane
This is the list of 159 isomers of undecane.
Straight Chain
*Undecane
Decane
* 2-Methyldecane
* 3-Methyldecane
* 4-Methyldecane
* 5-Methyldecane
Nonane Ethyl
* 3-Ethylnonane
* 4-Ethylnonane
* 5-Ethylnonane
Dimethyl
* 2,2-Dimethylnonane
* 2 ...
*
Cycloundecane
References
External links
Undecaneat Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases
{{Alkanes
Alkanes